BUFFALO, N.Y. — ​Safety in Buffalo Public Schools is on the minds of students, parents and administrators. And improvements are on the way.

Protecting students and staff dominated much of the conversation at a Buffalo Board of Education meeting Wednesday night.

Interim Superintendent Tonja Williams reiterated security improvements and upgrades are helping prevent incidents at McKinley High School.

That’s after an attack outside the school last month injured a security guard and a student. Then police say a student stabbed a teacher with a comb at the Emerson School of Hospitality last week.

Buffalo Public Schools leaders admit they’re still working to address a security officer shortage in the district.

“What we have here is a Buffalo Public School failed security system,” Samuel Herbert, of Buffalo, said. “School administrators, including board members, dropped the ball at McKinley High School.”

“Our number one priority is to make sure children come into our buildings and our safe, and go home and are better, that’s what we want to do,” Casandra Wright, BPS associate superintendent of school leadership, said.  

New Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority Police Chief Brian Patterson also addressed student safety after school. He says transit police are teaming with the Buffalo Peacemakers and city police on a plan to help ensure students get home safely.

BPA is also planning to hire 17 new bus aides.